First, thank you again for your generous support of the Ventura County Community Foundation. We wanted to share an update on the progress and plans related to the Conejo Valley Victim’s Fund and the Hill Fire/ Woolsey Fire Sudden and Urgent Needs Effort.

Conejo Valley Victims Fund Update

After immediately distributing $310,000 in cash assistance and $500 prepaid Visa cards related to the Borderline shooting, we are moving forward into the final stages of financial support distribution. After arduous due diligence, we have launched an application site for victims and survivors to apply for funding: www.ConejoValleyVictimsFund.org. We are honored to partner with Give An Hour who will lead efforts to provide mental health, emotional and case management support to victims during this application process.

100% of the funds raised will continue to be used to assist the families who lost loved ones, the victims who were physically injured, and those present inside the Borderline Bar & Grill that tragic night. The payments from the Conejo Valley Victims Fund are to be apportioned in accordance with the severity of the injury to the victims arising from the disaster in Thousand Oaks, California on November 7, 2018.

Deadline for application submission is February 18, 2019.

VCCF will host two public forums to give concerned community members and those impacted by the Borderline shooting an opportunity to provide feedback and ask questions about this Draft Final Protocol which will determine the process and distribution protocols for awarding financial support to qualified applicants. This is a draft protocol. The Final Distribution Protocol, which will govern the Conejo Valley Victims Fund at the Ventura County Community Foundation, will be developed by the Special Oversight Committee, incorporating feedback from the Public Forum meetings held on January 3, 2019, and is subject to approval by the Ventura County Community Foundation.

All aspects of this Draft Final Protocol, including without limitation the classifications of claimants, distribution criteria, claims process and timetable, and amounts to be awarded, may be revised and are subject to the full and complete discretion of the Special Oversight Committee and the Fund Administrator, subject only to the approval of the Board of Directors of Ventura County Community Foundation. The Draft Final Protocol document can be found here.

Give An Hour will also host three Clinics where eligible claimants can receive direct support in completing their applications and accessing resources to support their recovery. The dates of these clinics are:

Monday, January 14, 2019 from 12:00 noon to 8:00 p.m.

Wednesday, January 16, 2019 from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Saturday, January 19, 2019 from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

If you have questions related to the application process, please contact: (805) 444-7519 or email info@conejovalleyvictimsfund.org if you are seeking support in filling out your application for funding from the Conejo Valley Victims Fund.

For all other questions, please contact the Ventura County Community Foundation at (805) 988-0196.

Hill Fire/ Woolsey Fire Sudden and Urgent Needs Effort Update

The Ventura County Community Foundation has granted more than $664,000 since the start of the Hill and Woolsey fires, including:

$150,000 to the Pacific Coast and Ventura County Chapter of the American Red Cross (Red Cross) for an Emergency Response Vehicle

$10,000 to Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Conejo Valley for expenses related to serving children during school closures, club clean-up, and counseling services

$30,000 total to KCLU Public Radio (California Lutheran University) with $20,000 to replace damaged main transmitter and supporting equipment and an additional $10,000 for matching funds for the campaign to replace equipment, which they met.

$5,000 to 805 Help to support their immediate response to bring online access to our community during the fires

$15,000 to Senior Concerns for adult daycare, meals and support for our community’s seniors who were evacuated and need care

$5,350 to Livingston Memorial Visiting Nurse Association to help cover costs associated with evacuations of those on hospice

$7,000 to the Camarillo Boys & Girls Club to cover costs associated with emergency childcare needs due to school closures

$9,500 to the Southeast Ventura YMCA to cover costs associated with emergency childcare needs due to school closures

$1,827 to Mark Watring Stables for the evacuation of 43 horses, hauling of feed and water supplies, and overtime

$25,000 to the Economic Development Collaborative for General Operations Support as they serve business owners impacted by the fires

$21,500 to Cal State Channel Islands Foundation to feed and house students evacuated by the fires

$500 to Cal Lutheran University’s Center for Nonprofit Leadership to sponsor a free webinar entitled “Fundraising in Response to a Community Crisis”

$121,000 for the Southeast Ventura County YMCA to provide individual assistance to families affected by the fires.

Please remind all nonprofit organizations responding to the needs from the fires to submit their brief application at www.vccf.org.

Collecting and distributing funds related to tragedies like this is both complex and sensitive and we thank you for your commitment to our community, your patience and support. Together we are #VCStrong.